Project Cuckoo
by Captain Kobold
Summary: An Agent of SHIELD tries to solve the problem of the Civil War how do you document, train, and register metahumans? I don't know how CW ends, so this won't connect on any level
1. Chapter 1

_The following is my own personal contribution to the Civil War mythos that Marvel's trying to build up right now – my contribution to the war effort, you might say. Pretty good for someone who doesn't own the setting at all, especially since he's using almost-all-new characters._

Brown looked at the dossier. It wasn't much, but he needed something to concentrate on, because otherwise he would explode into relief that his proposal had been accepted. "Where and when will my idea be implemented?" he said.

The Director shrugged. "That's left mostly to you, it seems. However, we would like you to start as soon as possible. Funds have been made available to an account under the front identity, so beginning should not be a problem. However, there is some pressure to suggest Los Angeles. After the Pride was unearthed, superhumans have been moving there, and the higher-ups believe that some effort should be made on our part to curb them. But the matter is being left entirely to you."

Brown took another file from under his arm, and took out a page. "As it happens, sir, I had already selected a shortlist of cities. All have high populations, and there is little activity in any of them. Any one would be useful as a test-case."

Taking the page, the Director went down the list. "Well, you've astounded me again, Brown. Yes, any one of these will do perfectly. I suggest that you start Project Cuckoo immediately."


	2. Rolecall

_Yeah, there's more. Here, we get codenames._

Project Cuckoo, that was the working title. It had begun as a thought experiment by Agent Brown. How to note metahumans without them knowing it? The agency in question would have to have an ironclad excuse, something beyond reproach. But who kept notes? Only subversive groups, government agencies, supervillains, and other superhumans.

And that had been the beginning. If a government-chartered superteam could be set up, part of its duties could cover covert surveillance of superhumans. And if they did their job well, no-one would ever question that they did anything else…

It had been approved. Now, Brown was walking through an office in an unusual building, being handed files by Hemingway, his new second-in-command. "Ok, go," he said.

Hemingway handed him the first file. "Nathan Garrett. Second-generation Army brat, expert in three different martial arts. Post-graduate of the SHIELD Super-Agent Program. Leadership skills, going by the codename 'Brother John'." He fumbled through the files, and produced another. "Patsy Caldwell. Part of a RAND Corporation experiment in mind-machine interfaces. Now able to tap into the Sentry satellite network that the Clinton Administration spent so much on – you know, the mutant-hunting satellites? Able to locate a human being from a kilometre away. And thanks to the unique properties of some of the network, she should be able to fry electronics and even kill people when she's got some practice. We gave her the codename 'Upload'. Um, next is… Kerait Asphodel, intergalactic mercenary. She's agreed to work for us in exchange for the parts to get her craft moving. Her abilities are tied into some wacko energy source inside her body. With some study, we might be able to duplicate it, but until they get a breakthrough she's available. Powers include flight, force-blasts and some degree of ESP. Project codename is Selenite, and we've ascertained that she'll answer to it. And last, Herbert D'Agostini. As part of an archeological dig in Ohio, they found a metal belt with the name 'Typhon' on it. When he put the belt on, he got the ability to throw fire and survive mortal injuries. No-one knows where the belt's originally from, or how it got there. The Greek government claims that the belt is connected to the Greek Titan Typhon, and therefore theirs, but State Department's pretty firm on the issue. He's all yours."

"Hmm," said Brown. They had come to a door. On the other side was the group. Brother John was standing around, and the other three were waiting for something. They all looked up when they entered the room. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said. "You've been called here because each of you possess a gift beyond those of your fellow man. Thus, it is the wish of my department that you form a group which will aid your fellow man."

"You want us to be superheroes?" said Typhon. "I mean, that does sound interesting, but I've got some papers to write for the University, and I'm not – "

"That has been taken care of, Mr. D'Agostini, said Brown. "As of this morning, you're all working directly for the government. The University has been made aware of your new situation, and they've agreed to give you some leeway in this."

He went around the room, introducing the members formally to one another. The group looked so normal. Even Upload, with the stitches around her forehead, could have passed for a crash victim if you didn't see the detachable antenna. Only Selenite might prove difficult, with her bright purple skin. But that was a matter for another day.

"The group we're forming will consist of you four, along with whatever other members decide to join you after you set up. You will be operating out of Boston, a busy Metropolitan area close to Manhattan with little or no native superheroes, as a test case. The group will be called the First Line…"

When the meeting was over, Brown asked Hemingway, "And the other file?"

"Ah," said Hemingway, and handed it over. "He's our ace. Rogue Inhuman, exiled for armed insurrection. Power consists of the ability to alternate between energy states, remaining unseen and untouchable for as long as he wants, but able to strike when he wants. Picked up a few years back in Costa Salvador, tracked and contained by Doc Sampson, fitted with a power-damping implant. In the event of his going over, all we have to do is activate it, and he reverts to normalcy. His name is Nebulo."

"Yes," said a voice from the now-empty room. "I've been working with your government for several years now, on assassination and surveillance. It will be good to work with warriors again."

"Well, you're not to let them know you're there unless its absolutely necessary," said Brown. "This project is being billed as an honest group of individuals. If anyone discovers that it includes an assassin, they might start looking deeper. And it is _mission critical_ that they do not. Do you understand me?"

"Indeed, sir," said Nebulo. The silence that followed indicated that he had left.

Agent Brown sat down in the room. "How many of them know?" he said.

"Of them, sir? Only Garrett and Nebulo. Asphodel and Caldwell will probably work it out quite fast, though. They're both professionals, it and could get quite hard to notice that your superteam is secretly a metahuman registration outfit."

_NB: 'Brother John' was the name of a propaganda character during the American Revolutionary war. Today, his role is filled by Uncle Sam. Anyone who doesn't like the name – can you come up with a better name, which doesn't sound rubbish?_


End file.
